Aunt Rose's Brownies

Food Adventures

February 04, 2001|By Faith Middleton

There is something to the notion that many of our lasting food loves are an attempt to recreate our past. My unwavering devotion to brownies is connected to those days when I would sit on a stool in Aunt Rose's kitchen and watch her make the best brownies of my life, rich with dark chocolate and walnuts, more like cake than fudge, yet not cake.

The kitchen would fill with the soul-satisfying aroma of baking brownies. I would attempt to busy myself elsewhere in the house, all the while awaiting the unforgettable moment of re-entering the kitchen and finding the big glass jar on the counter filled to the very top with Aunt Rose's brownies.

I wasn't alone in loving them. Working as a live-in cook for a High Street family in Farmington, Aunt Rose was legendary among many dinner guests who would end a meal by coming into the kitchen to thank her for her cheese souffle, shrimp curry, and especially her brownies.

No one knows who invented the brownie, though ``The Oxford Companion to Food'' says its name comes simply from its color, and that this American creation first appeared in print in the 1897 Sears, Roebuck catalog.

Foods can be faddish, our tastes can change, but throughout my life I have never tired of good brownies. And because I love them so, I am crestfallen when they're not right. Unlike many others, even a few chef friends, I'm not a fan of supermarket packaged brownie mixes, which all seem to have a slightly chemical, fake chocolate taste. No, I like them homemade.

I like my brownies with nuts, including walnuts or pecans. I like them cakey and I like them fudgy and chewy, too. But nothing satisfies me as much as a warm brownie with nuts, topped with vanilla ice cream. Every bite is a morsel from heaven. I wish more folks would end their dinner parties not with fancy, elaborate creations but with this great American contribution to the world of desserts, brownie a la mode. Simple and irresistible.

The good news is that if you don't want to make your own brownies, there are bakeries and mail-order houses that offer terrific versions of home-baked. One of my favorite mail-order suppliers is right here in Connecticut, Matthews 1812 House in Cornwall Bridge, opened 21 years ago by Deanna Matthews.

Deanna purchased her famous Brownie Explosion recipe from Celia Pomerantz of New Milford. It's the ultimate fudge brownie, made with tons of imported Belgian chocolate, butter and sugar. Rich doesn't begin to describe it, yet, and here's the key: Somehow the sugar doesn't overpower the chocolate. It's divine. The brownies come in gift boxes of six ($17.50), 12 ($31.50) or 24 ($59.50), with or without walnuts. Each brownie is rich enough to satisfy two. And, if you're on a getaway drive up Route 7 to Cornwall Bridge, the small shop is at 250 Kent Road, where you can buy brownies and other baked goods one at a time. It's all displayed on their Web site at www.matthews1812house.com.

With Valentine's Day approaching, who wouldn't love to be surprised by a box exploding with brownies?

Faith Middleton is host of ``The Food Schmooze'' on Connecticut Public Radio. She welcomes new of readers' food finds and adventures via e-mail at Faithwnpr@aol.com